Jina held up a piece of paper that the doctor just gave her. No matter how many times she read it, she couldn't seem to understand. "What is this supposed to mean again?"

Dr. Kang took a deep sigh upon hearing her question. This would be the second time he repeated himself to her. Jina was well aware of that. It's just that she needed to make sure that she was hearing it right. "The test result concludes that Mr. Park's body has been rejecting all the medicines that we've been giving him."

"How come he's rejecting them?"

"Well, it's partly because of his longtime illness that he's been battling. But mostly, it's about his age. His body systems are not like what they used to be."

Jina read the paper for one more time. "So, what am I supposed to do with this insight?"

Dr. Kang cleared his throat before giving a serious look. "I personally advise you that it would be best to prepare for the worst."

"That's your personal advice? What would the professional advice sound like then?"

"I would still tell you the same thing."

"No, tell me. I want to know what it actually means. What am I preparing for?"

"Miss...," Dr. Kang said. He stared at the piece of paper that was then crumpled inside Jina's grasp. "You need to calm down."

Jina slowly put the paper aside.

"Listen, it's normal to feel overwhelmed and confused whenever you encounter this certain phase. Everyone does. What you need to understand is that as long as you make sure they're not alone while going through all of this, everything will turn out alright."

"I want to know what you mean by the worst. What is it? A complication? A comma? Death? What should I prepare myself for?"

"At this point, anything that results in Mr. Park's declining health should be considered a worst scenario."

"So that's it?" Jina asked. "It's just gonna be a series of bad news from now on? Is that what you're saying?"

Dr. Kang didn't answer her with a definite yes or no. However, Jina understood it immediately from the way his eyes looked. That pair of eyes were looking at her in a rather pitiful way. The doctor was probably torn between not wanting to lie and still wanting to deliver a tiny bit of good news. She couldn't fully blame him.

Jina slowly leaned her back on the stiff chair that she had been sitting on. "I need a moment."

After that unpleasant meeting with Dr. Kang, Jina walked back to her father's room. Going back there felt strange now that she knew the verdict of her father's condition. She contemplated on what to say to him once she got there. Should she tell him the news? Should she pretend that everything was fine for a while? The closer she was, the heavier her steps got. She stopped in front of the door before she could realize it. She looked inside and noticed that her father was still asleep; sleeping soundly. She decided not to enter there just yet.

"Jina-ssi?"

Jina turned around to find where the familiar voice came from. "Yoonsu?"

"You came to visit again," the young man cheerfully said as he approached Jina. "How's your father doing?"

"He's fine," Jina lied. She didn't have the energy to explain. "You have a shift today?"

"I do. It's getting busier nowadays. Wait, are you leaving already?"

"Yeah, actually, I was just about to leave. Why?"

"Do you have time to grab a coffee with me? I mean, if you're not in a rush, of course."

Jina turned to glance at the room behind her once again before she answered, "Sure, why not? I could use someone to talk to today."

Jina and Yoonsu went to the café that was located on the ground floor of the hospital building. As usual, the place was nearly packed with both visitors and staff. Jina chose to sit at the table by the window. Looking outside where there weren't many people pacing back and forth might ease her mind a little bit. At least that's what she thought.

"Here's your coffee," Yoonsu said as he handed Jina her cup.

"Thanks. So, how's your work?"

"It's been hectic lately. I just came home from a three day shift last night but I had to return again this afternoon."

"That's crazy."

"I know. What about you? How's work and life treating you?"

"Well, there's a new head department assigned for my team and he's been unbearable. He's super naggy, and he definitely doesn't mind bothering us with work stuff on weekends."

"Sounds like an awful start," Yoonsu said, to which Jina replied with a faint smile. There was a silence after. Both Jina and Yoonsu didn't say a word for a minute. "So, uhm, Jina, I'd like to ask you something."

"Me?"

"Actually, when I saw you earlier, that was my fourth time calling you. You didn't listen to me and you seemed to be thinking of something."

"Oh...," Jina gasped. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize."

"It's alright. It's just- do you want to talk about it? I don't mean to be intrusive, but if it's something that might be related to your father's condition, you could tell me about it."

"I just don't feel like bothering you."

"Don't feel that way. I always tell you that it's fine, remember? We're friends. You used to help me a lot when we were in school. I might not be able to solve your issue immediately, but at least I'm always here to listen."

"Well, you got me," Jina said, half laughing. "Okay, if we're being honest, I actually just got bad news about my dad."

"Something about his illness?"

"Yeah. The doctor said that I should prepare for the worst. His body has been rejecting the medication, or something like that."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. What are your plans now?"

"That's the problem. I have no idea. I don't know whether to tell him about this or to just keep it a secret until I'm ready."

"May I say something about this?"

Jina slowly nodded.

"Based on my experience, and from what I've often heard from my peers, usually, patients like your father can feel and notice whenever their body has given up."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"What I'm saying is that there might be a slight chance that your father is aware of this already. You don't have to keep this away from him. It's actually more important to let him know that you're still there for him, and that he's not going to be alone."

Jina paused for a moment. What Yoonsu just said might be half true. Her father's health has been gradually worsening ever since he officially got diagnosed with an illness. He had been spending most of his days at the hospital. What were the chances that her father was expecting this news by then?

"I'm sorry if I offended you."

"No, no. I understood what you're trying to say. I think you may have some points."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I didn't think of it that way. Maybe I really should let him know that I'll be there for him."

"Everything will be fine, Jina. I know you can go through this."

"Thanks, Yoonsu."

Their conversation had to be cut short because Yoonsu had a recently arrived patient in the emergency room that needed action immediately. After hesitating for a while, Jina then decided to go back to her father's room and tell him about the news. When she got there, her father had already woken up from his nap. He was staring at the window where the curtains were wide open.

"Hey, Dad, how are you feeling?" Jina greeted before giving a short hug.

"Always feeling my best," her father replied. "Did you just arrive?"

"No, uh, I arrived an hour ago. By the way, Yoonsu sent you a greeting."

"Oh. You saw him today?"

"Yeah, we had coffee together. He can't come with me here because there was a call from the emergency room."

"Tell him I said thanks."

"I will, uh, Dad, we need to talk...," Jina said, sitting on the chair beside her father's bed.

"Seems serious, sweetheart. What is it?"

"So... I met Dr. Kang earlier. And he told me some news about your recent condition."

"He did?"

"He said that your body has been sort of rejecting the medicines that they're giving you. He said that at this point we should, uh, prepare for the worst scenario..."

"Well," Jina's father sighed. "If that's what he calls news then the neighbor's cat getting pregnant for the fifth time should also be news then."

"Dad, you're aware of this?"

"Jina, I'm an old man who spends most of my days at the hospital bed. I've also taken many shots and other treatments. By now I must be very stupid if I'm not already aware that death is just one knock away from me."

"You seem to be taking it very easily..."

"Are you upset?"

"Of course I'm upset," Jina's voice slowly breaks. "How could I receive terrible news about someone I cherish and not be upset?"

"Oh, sweetheart," Jina's father grabbed her hand and softly squeezed it. "It's going to be just fine. Trust me."

"Why does everyone keep saying that? You know you won't be fine..."

"Physically, yes, it will hurt at some point. But what else can I do? This old man has to be strong for his daughter."

Jina wiped her tears. "Thank you, Dad. I'm relieved knowing that you'll handle this well."

"I'll do well knowing my daughter will be by my side."

"Of course," Jina put her hand on top of her father's. She looked him in the eye and smiled. "Where else would I be? I have no one else but you."

Jina spent the rest of her afternoon with her father. After their short but meaningful talk, they went outside for a stroll. Although the farthest they could go was the rooftop garden in the same hospital building, for the two of them, it was enough.

"Jina, do you remember the reason why I love looking at the sky, especially the afternoon sky? The one before the sun sets and before the sky gets completely dark?" Jina's father asked.

"I do. It reminds you of your hometown," Jina replied, glancing at her father who was looking up and admiring the scenery solemnly. "It reminds you of the place you grew up in."

"It also reminds me that, no matter where our feet are standing, we all look at the same sky. When I first moved to the city, I used to feel homesick quite often. I'd always look up and tell myself, 'This is still the same sky you woke up to back at home'. After that, my worries didn't disappear, but I'd somehow gain the strength and courage to face my problems."

"Dad, why did we never move back to your hometown once you got settled? You seem to be missing that place a lot..."

There was silence. It didn't last for a minute, but Jina noticed a faint smile drawn on her father's lips. "Because everything became different the moment I moved away. And I don't want to be reminded of how many things have changed since then."

Jina didn't quite understand what her father truly meant by his reply. Was that his way to preserve his memory of his beloved home? Whatever it was, talking about that topic seemed to bring a certain sadness to him. "Do you have any regrets, Dad?"

Hearing the sudden attack of a question, Jina's father laughed lightly. "Hold on, sweetheart, I didn't know I was in a job interview?"

"No, no... I'm serious. I want to know. Please, just tell me."

"Of course I do. I have regrets. I do have a few of them."

"What are they?"

"Well, there are times when I said something I shouldn't have said, or when I didn't do things I should've done. Like most people. I'm sure you also have something like that."

"I don't think I do," Jina nonchalantly replied. "But I know sometimes you wish you could go back in time and turn your regrets into something you're glad to do. Don't you, Dad?"

"Not really," Jina's father said. "Because I already have you now. I wouldn't change anything for that reason, Jina."

Jina saw her father smiling softly, but she caught a hint of sorrow in his tired eyes. She still had a few questions that she wondered the answers to. However, she sensed that it might not be a proper time to continue. Besides, her father complained about the chilly weather afterwards. "Let's just go back inside now."

That night, Jina went home with conflicted feelings. After receiving the unwanted news about her father's health, she felt the need to make her father's last days memorable. It was the least she could do. The hope for her father to beat his life expectation was strong regardless. She figured that it wouldn't hurt to make the most of the time that they still had left together.

When Jina was about to go to sleep, she went to check her father’s room. It had been quite a while ever since her father slept there. His nights were often spent on the hospital bed. Jina knew how hard it was for him. He never mentioned how much he missed sleeping on his own bed, but she often noticed how he’d get all fussy when she forgot to bring him his old pillow after laundry day. To him that pillow was probably the only thing that still reminded him of home.

A wooden picture frame suddenly fell to the floor when Jina was turning around as her leg hit the end table quite hard. She quickly grabbed the picture frame to see if it was broken. Thankfully, nothing was damaged. Jina looked at the picture that was framed inside. It was a photograph of her father when he was younger. He was standing in front of what seemed to be a field, presumably the one his family owned back in the village.

Jina didn’t remember exactly the full story behind the photograph, or maybe her father might just never told her anything about it. She only remembered that it was taken by his friend and they took pictures of themselves alternately. They never had a picture together because, at that time, they somehow forgot about the concept of self-taken pictures. It sounded like a silly story, but it was actually a bit sad. She remembered her father saying that he never had a chance to take pictures with his friend again after that.

Looking at the old photograph made Jina realize that she didn’t know that much about her father’s younger days. The stories she’d often heard from him were the ones from his multiple jobs and the ones he heard from his friends. Her father did talk about his hometown several times, but they were all just small bits of the actual stories. She never understood why.

It then occurred to Jina what she should do to make the remaining days her father had to be more meaningful. She wanted to help fulfill one, if not some, of his wishes. It might not mean much but she believed it’d make him happy. Things that he probably thought wouldn’t be able to happen, or maybe just the smaller things.

Jina had no idea what her father would ask. She didn’t even know when and how she should tell him about her little plan. All she knew was that making it happen should be her new priority. No matter what.

Because to Yoon Jina, her father was everything